Automatic tension control



March 28, 1950 c. E. WYRICK 2,501,981

AUTOMATIC TENSIION CONTROL I Filed Kay 17, 1945 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR CLAYTON E. WYRICK ATTORNEYS March 28, 1950 Filed May 17, 1945' C. E. WYRICK AUTOMATIC TENSION CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CLAYTON E W-YRICK ATTORNEYS March 28, 1950 wYRlCK AUTOMATIC TENSION CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 17, 1945 1 Fus 5.

CLAYTON [.MYRICK ATTORNEYS March 28, 1950 c E. WYRICK AUTOMATIC mnsxou CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 17, 1945 INVENTOR CLAYTUN E. VYRICK ATTORNEYS Mardl 1950 c. E. WYRlCK ,98

AUTOMATIC TENSION CONTROL Filed May 17, 1945 Q 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR CLAYTON E. WYR/CK Patented Mar. 28, 1950 AUTOMATIC TENSION CONTROL Clayton E. Wyrick, Miami, Fla., assignor to The Egry Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 17, 1945, Serial No. 594,322

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a manifolding or a collating machine wherein a plurality of paper webs are assembled in adjacent relationship with the form faces printed upon the webs disposed in proper alignment with respect to one another so that the plurality of webs can be folded upon one another in an accordion fashion.

It is an object of the invention to provide a manifolding or collating machine adapted to receive a plurality of supply rolls of paper webs that are to be fed through the machine, andto providebrakin mechanism to retard the rotation of the supply rolls should the paper webs have the tendency to discharge from the supply rolls at a greater rate than they are being used within the machine.

Another object is to provide a web or strip handling machine wherein a single element is operable to disconnect the driving power and effect application of the brakes.

A still further object is to provide a supplyroll braking means wherein the brake is applied with a snap action immediately upon disconnection of power, so that excessive slack due to momentum of the supply roll is prevented.

A further object is to provide, 'in a machine using a plurality of rolls, a brake mechanism for each roll together with means 'whereby the brakes are simultaneously controlled and applied with uniform force to all rolls.

Another object of the invention isto provide a machine of the character described that is smooth in operation and that may be quickly started and stopped, whereby increased efliciency and time saving overprior machines of a like type, is effected. 7

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine, wherein the brakes for the several supply rolls are manually controlled.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the supply-roll braking device, taken substantially upon line 33, Figure 2, and showing the brake shoe applied to the supply-roll drum.

Figure 4 is a'view corresponding to Figure 3 but showing the brake in released position,

' Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the machine looking in the direction of the arrow I2, Figure 1, and showing the motor mounting, motor and main shaft drive,

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional plan view 2 showing the main drive clutch and clutch release, together with the'brake actuating mechanism, and v Figure '7 is a perspective view of the clutch release mechanism and its interrelation with the brake operating means.

, Referring particularly to Figure 1, the frame .I I0 has a platform III bolted to one of the uprights thereof. Main driving motor II 2 is secured to platform III in any suitable manner and has a pulley II3 on its shaft. A switch I I2a and cable IIZb, Figures 1 and 5, are provided to control the motor. A belt II4 drivingly connects pulley I I 3 with a drive pulley I I5, journaled upon a main drive shaft II6. Shaft H6 is journaled at its left end, as seen in Figure 6, in anti-friction bearing III carried by one of the cross braces of the frame I), and at its right end in a plain bushing II8 within aligned apertures in a plate IIS and a reinforcement I20 /s'ecured thereto as by bolts and nuts m. Plate 9 is' supported from the two upright frame members at the right side of the machine, by end plates I22 secured to said frame members and to plate I I 9, as by angles and bolts to form a substantially rectangular bracket projecting horizontally taken substantially upon the line 6-6, Figure 2,

from the right side of the machine, as will be clear from inspection of Figures 1 and 2.

The spaced horizontal side members IIIIa of frame I I0 project rearwardly, as at I00, Figure 1, and are notched to form horizontally spaced pairs of supports for respective web-supply rolls A. The shaft I16 of each roll carries brake drums I19 fixed thereto and a brake shoe I is provided for each drum and operated by mechanism subsequently described.

A brake rod I38 is mounted for vertical sliding movement upon the members IIlla at one side of the machine. This mounting may conveniently take the form of slots I in rod I38, through which extend headed pins I 9| secured in members IIIla in vertically aligned positions. At its lower end rod I38 carries a pin I4I riding within a notch or slot formed in a foot brake lever I42.

This lever I42 is pivoted to a rear frame member III], as at I43, Figure 1, and is urged upwardly into brake-applying position, by a spring I44 fixed at one end to said lever and at the other end to an adjacent side member IIlla. A guide bracket I45 is secured to the right front frame member H0 and'confines the forward portion of lever I 42 to substantially vertical movement.

Referring to Figure 6, pulley I I5 has secured thereto, as by bolts I23, one element I24a of a friction clutch I24. The other element I241) 01' 3 said clutch, is splined or slidably keyed to shaft H6 in any suitable manner not shown. One or both of the adjacent clutch faces of parts I24a and I24b may have a friction facing I25 whereby they are drivingly coupled when forced into engagement with-each other by spring I30.

Clutch element I24b has a hub I26 and collar I21 formed therewith to define a clutch-release channel I28 between them. A bevel pinion I29 is keyed to shaft H6 and a compression spring I30 surrounds said shaft and acts between a thrust washer I3I and collar I21 to urge clutch part I24b into contact with I24a. A bell crank I32 is mounted upon a shaft I33 journaled between end plates I22. Said bell crank is positioned below shaft H6 and its upright end I32a is forked and carries aligned rollers I32b riding within channel I28 whereby, when pivoted clutch element I24b is moved axially of shaft I I6 against the force of spring I30, to separate the clutch faces and disconnect the driving power between pulley H5 and shaft II6. A shaft I34 is journaled by and between plate H9 and frame IIO upon an axis that, as seen at Figure 2, is perpendicular to shaft I33. A hand lever I35 is pinned to shaft I34 as at I36 and is so positioned as to contact the generally-horizontal arm I32c of bell crank I32. Referring to Figure 1, one side plate I22 is notched, as at I31, to form rests determining, respectively, the closed and open positions of clutch I24. Thus, by moving lever I35 downwardly, bell crank I32 is pivoted to open the clutch and stop the machine; and the clutch may be held open by moving lever I35 laterally until it engages beneath the horizontal step of notch I31.

It will be understood that this form powerdriven feed or gripper rolls (not shown) are provided to draw the paper webs from the supply rolls A. Power for driving these rolls is supplied by a vertical shaft I10 journaled in bearings I39 carried by brackets attached to frame IIO. At its lower end, shaft I10 has a bevel pinion I14, meshing with pinion I29. A step I46 is formed in said bracket so that, when lever I42 is forced downwardly to brake-releasing position, it may be given a slight lateral motion beneath said step whereby to hold it in said position.

Referring to Figure 4, a bell crank I41 is pivoted on a stub shaft I48 carried by side member I Illa adjacent drum I19; and it will be understood that a similar arrangement of parts is provided for each web supplyroll brake drum. The upright arm I41a of bell crank I41 has the shoe I80 fixed thereto at I49. A spring I50 is connected between the free end of horizontal arm I41b and adjacent member I I0a to urge bell crank I41 in a counterclockwise direction of rotation. This rotation is resisted by a pin I5I in rod I38 that contacts the upper edge of arm I41b. Spring I53 engaging arm I52 on the rod I38 urges the rod I38 in an upward direction. Thus springs I50 act singly, each to apply its respective brake, and jointly to urge rod I38 into raised, or brake-applying position. Thus, in the position of lever I42, Figure 1, the brakes are all applied and the machine is at rest while, when said lever is thrust downwardly, the brakes are simultaneously released and held in such position.

As seen from Figures 6 and 7, shaft I34 carrying clutch-actuating lever I35, extends to the left through, and has a bearing in, an appropriate side member I I0a. Said shaft terminates closely adjacent and at one side of brake rod I38 and has journaled thereon, a latch I51 of a form clearly shown at Figure 7. Said latch is provided with a projection I54 to which is attached one end of a tension spring I55. The other end of sprin I55 is attached to a pin on member IIOa, whereby the latch is urged to counterclockwise rotation about shaft I34. At its free end, the latch has a nose adapted, under urge of spring I55, to snap over a pin I1I on rod I38 when said rod is moved downwardly to brakerelease position and thereby hold the brakes released.

An arm I58 is fixed to shaft I34 adjacent latch I51 and has pivoted thereto near its free end, as at I12, a finger I56, notched at its free end to engage a pin I59 0n latch I51. A tension spring I13 interconnects the adjacent ends of the arm I58 and finger I56, as clearly shown at Figure '7, and urges the finger to clockwise rotation which rotation is prevented, when the parts ar in the position shown at Figure 4, by engagement between the notched end of finger I56 and pin I59. A pin I60 is fixed to rod I38 just below finger I56 so as to engage said finger and pivot it counter-clockwise when the rod is raised to effect application Of the brakes.

The conjoint operation of the clutch I24 and brake-actuating mechanism will now be clear. Suppose that the machine is at rest with the brake parts substantially as shown at Figure 3 and clutch lever I35 held in clutch-opening position by the notch I31 and that the desired number of supply rolls I19 have been positioned in brackets I00 and the Webs have been threaded through the machine. Lever I35 may now be released and allowed to move upwardly thus permitting Spring I30 to close clutch I24. Lever I42 is pushed down to correspondingly move rod I38. As said rod is moved downwardly, pin I'II rides up the slope of the nose on latch I51 and causes slight clockwise pivoting thereof. At the sametime pin I60 moves down with rod I38 and permits spring I 13 to rotate finger I56 downwardly until one surface of its notched end rests 1 on pin I59 on latch I51. Simultaneously, springs I53 are being tensioned and as soon as pin I5I strikes arm I41b, bell crank I41 is pivoted clockwise and brake shoe I is separated from its drum. As soon as pin I1I rides past the nose on latch I51, said nose, under urge of spring I55, snaps over the pin while, at the same time pin I50 comes to rest within the notch at the end of finger I56. The parts are thus held in position as shown at Figure 11. The motor H2 is now started to superpose the webs and fold and stack them in the requisite manner.

When it is desired to stop the operation of the machine, lever I35 is pressed downwardly to open clutch I24 and disconnect the power drive to shafts I I6 and I10. At the same time, rotation of clutch lever shaft I34, correspondingly rotates arm I58 and thus causes finger I56 to rotate latch I51 through the intermediary of pin I59. As soon as latch I51 has been rotated clockwise so that its nose clears pin I1 I, spring I53 acts to raise rod I38 and its pin I5I, and permit spring I50 to apply the brake shoe I80 with a snap action substantially simultaneously with the disconnection of power at clutch I24.

While the foregoing description has been confined, in the interests of clarity, to a single supply roll and brake mechanism therefor, it will be understood that each supply roll bracket I00 on the machine, is provided with a similar brake mechanism and that all of them are controlled and simultaneously applied and released by movement of rod I38. Since each brake is applied by respective springs I50, it will be clear that all rolls are braked in a smooth, uniform manner. i

' It will be noted, that while clutch lever I35is operable to set the brakes, they can be released only by downward movement of lever I 42, thus making it unnecessary to lock lever I35 in clutchopening position, as by engagement beneath step I31. If desired, a switch in the circuit of motor H2 and in series with switch II2a, can be provided, to be closed only when rod I38 is in brake release position to thus prevent inadvertent starting of the motor when the brakes are applied. In any event, operation of lever I35 has no effect upon the brake mechanisms when the brakes are set because, at this time, the pin ISO is holding finger I56 upwardly, out of contact with pin I59, as clearly shown at Figure 3.

By the foregoing construction, the web supply rolls are brought to a standstill simultaneously with opening of the clutch I24 whereby the building up of excessive slack or loops of the supply web is prevented and the operation of the machine speeded up and its over-all eiliciency greatly augmented.

While I have described the embodiment of my invention as now preferred by me, numerous modifications and substitutions will be obvious to those skilled in the art and I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that changes, modifications and substitutions may be made when desired within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine for continuously feeding a plurality of webs from a plurality of supply rolls to a mechanism for operating upon the webs, a shaft for rotatably supporting each said roll, a brake surface affixed to each said shaft, a power drive connected to draw said webs from said rolls and including a releasable clutch and actuating means therefor, brake means for each said shaft, means urging said brake means independently into engagement with said surfaces, means movable between a first position preventing engagement by any of said brake means, to a second position permitting independent engagement of the brake means, and means operated by movement of said actuating means to clutch-releasing position to effect movement of said movable means from said first to said second positions.

2. In a machine for drawing a strip of elongated material from a supply roll having a braking surface, and operating upon said material, a frame adapted to rotatabl support said roll,

, feeding means adapted to engage said strip and draw the same from said roll, a power drive connected to operate said feeding means and including a disconnectable clutch, lever means operable to disconnect said clutch, brake means movable on said frame into and out of contact with said surface, yielding means urging said brake means vinto contact with said surface, a rod shiftable on said frame into one position holding said brake means out of contact with said surface, a latch operable to releasably hold said rod in said one position, and a connection between said lever means and latch to release said rod on disconnection of said clutch.

3. In a machine for drawing a web of material from a supply roll, a frame adapted to rotatably support said supply roll, said roll having a brake surface, brake means pivoted on said frame for movement between a first position in contact with said surface and a second position out of hold said brake means in second position, a power drive on said frame operable to draw material from said roll, said drive including a clutch, a shaft for operating said clutch, said shaft being connected to operate said latch whereby said rod may be released and said brake moved to first position. i:

4. In a machine for drawing a continuous web from a supply roll having a brake surface thereon, a frame adapted to rotatably support said roll, a power drive on said frame adapted to engage and withdraw a supply of web from said roll, said drive including a clutch, control means operable to render said clutch effective and ineffective to transmit power, brake means pivotable on said frame into and out of contact with said surface, and connections between said control means and said brake means, operableto apply said brake means in sequential relation with movement of said control means to render said clutch ineffective.

5. In a machine for withdrawing an elongated strip of material from a supply roll having a brake surface connected to rotate therewith, a frame adapted to rotatably support said roll, brake means pivoted on said frame, resilient means urging said brake means toward braking engagement with said surface, actuating means on said frame reciprocable from a first position to a second position engaging and holding said brake means released, spring means urging said actuating means into said first position, a latch pivoted on said frame and resiliently urged to engage and hold said actuating means in said second position, an arm pivoted adjacent said latch, and a finger pivoted on said arm and adapted to engage and move said latch as said arm is pivoted, to release said actuating means and permit application of said brake means.

6. In a machine for operating upon strips of material wherein the material is drawn from supply rolls, in combination, a plurality of rolls each having a braking surface, a bell crank pivoted adjacent each said brake surface, a brake shoe on each bell crank engageable with its respective brake surface, a spring urging each bell crank to brake-engaging position, a brake rod slidable tosimultaneously engage all said bell cranks and pivot them to brake releasing position, means resiliently urging said rod away from brake-releasing position, and manually releasable means operable in one position to hold said rod in brake-releasing position against the action of said resilient means.

7. In a machine of the type described, a brake surface connected to control a rotatable roll of supply material for said machine, a brake shoe mounted for movement into and out of contact with said surface, resilient means urging said shoe into contact with said surface, a slidable rod having means preventing said contact in one position of said rod, spring means slidably 7 urging said rod out of said position, a pivoted latch adapted in one position to engage and hold said rod in brake-releasing position, means resiliently urging said latch into said one position, an arm pivoted adjacent said latch, a finger pivoted on said arm, a spring urging a notch on said finger into contact with a pin on said latch, means on said rod engagingand holding said finger out of contact with said pin when said rod is slid out of said one position by said spring means, and means operable to pivot said arm to operate said latch and thus release said rod and effect substantially instantaneous application of said shoe.

8. In a machine for, withdrawing a strip 01' material from a rotatable roll thereof, a power drive operable to engage and withdraw said strip and including a disconnectable clutch, brake means operable to inhibit rotation of said roll, resilient means urging said brake means into effective position, a rod movable from a first position preventing operation of said resilient Number means to a s cond position permitting operation of said resilient means, a latch operable to releasably hold said rod in first position, a manually operable device connected to disconnect said clutch and also release said latch in sequential relation to effect application 01 said brake means, and a lever for moving said rod to said first position whereby said brake means is rendered ineffective.

CLAYTON E. WYRICK.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,855,503 White Apr. 26, 1932 1,936,916 Richter Nov. 28, 1933 2,261,891 Stewart Nov. 4, 1941 2,343,181 Heinz Feb. 29, 1944 

